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Healthcare professionals tasked with assessing claimants for disability benefits are leaving their roles in droves, citing feelings of being ‘despised’ and ‘de-skilled’, according to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) research.
A newly-released study reveals that over half (52 per cent) of health assessors left their positions within a single year, whilst 40 per cent of fresh recruits abandoned their roles during the three-month training period.
The investigation, which focused on assessors conducting Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit health-related evaluations, was carried out during Spring 2022, utilising data from 2021.
Both assessment processes have faced sustained criticism from disability campaigners as demanding and inconsistent procedures. Research by disability charity Sense found that over half (51 per cent) of disabled individuals with complex needs felt humiliated during their PIP evaluation.
An additional 45 per cent reported that the experience had exacerbated their conditions. All assessors must possess qualified healthcare practitioner status.
One told researchers: “We all got in healthcare for altruistic reasons and that maybe isn’t the case in this job… you’re a cog in the machine doing bureaucratic work.”
Many individuals only pursue the position when there is “no other option but to leave the NHS”, the report finds, yet subsequently feel they have transitioned from a role where they are “respected” to one in which they are “despised”. The findings stated: “In fact the HDAs may see themselves as transitioning from a role where they are high respected to one where they are despised (or at the very least, stigmatised).”
The research revealed: “An average of 4.3% of assessors left the occupation each month throughout 2021; in annual terms, this is equivalent to an attrition rate of 52%. Approximately, 40% of new recruits also leave during the training period. Due to these levels of attrition, very high recruitment levels are required to maintain the workforce required to meet assessment targets (for instance, between 2,000 and 3,000 FTE assessors per year, which is approximately 60% to 90% the size of the HDA (Health Disability Assessor) workforce at the time of writing).”
A senior DWP stakeholder commented: “I think we do find that people predominantly find this role very, very tough and they’ve got to be a certain kind of robust person.”
Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) employed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) across the UK undertake a vital, non-clinical function in assessing how medical conditions or disabilities impact a claimant’s everyday activities, principally to inform benefit eligibility determinations. Regarding training matters, the DWP stated: “However, there is an acknowledgement that a high proportion of HCPs do not make it through the training process or, where they do, do not stay in post very long. The qualitative research suggests that there is an expectation that most HDAs (Disability Assessors) will leave their role within just 2 to 3 years.”
Concerning applications from Healthcare Professionals, one recruitment specialist observed: “You see two brackets of [HCPs] who apply: ones in busy hospital environments who are totally burnt out and the other bracket is the ones who want to work from home…the second one is about more flexibility – it’s all about work/life balance.”
Many healthcare workers also return to their original roles: “Some leave because, you know, their heart, actually they realise their heart belongs back in whatever they were doing before.”
During a PIP assessment, an examiner awards claimants points based on how limited their ability is to carry out daily living activities, which dictates the level of their ultimate benefit.
The assessment for the health-related element of Universal Credit is called the ‘work capability assessment’, where the assessor is instead determining the applicant’s ability to undertake employment or work-related activities (such as interviews and training). A DWP contract manager outlines the challenges numerous assessors face as former medical practitioners, explaining: “The idea that they would want to be on a treadmill of collecting details but not intervening is alien to a significant proportion of the health sector.”
A DWP representative commented: “We commissioned this research to better understand the challenges facing the health assessment workforce and have been acting on its findings since it was conducted.
“We’ve worked closely with our assessment providers to improve recruitment, training and working conditions, and the full-time equivalent health assessor workforce has grown since this research was carried out.
“We’re committed to ensuring assessments are carried out by skilled professionals who are properly supported in their roles, and we continue to work on improvements as part of our wider transformation of health assessment services.”
To access the report click here.
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